Concrete component or block for a protective covering structure



June 1970 TATSUO AKAMATSU 3,515,255

CONCRETE COMPONENT OR BLOCK FOR A PROTECTIVE COVERING STRUCTURE Filed July 23, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JAE/"Z.

3 fi 3 2/5 32/5324? 5 Z June 1970 TATSUO AKAMATSU ,5

CONCRETE COMPONENT OR BLOCK FOR A PROTECTIVE COVERING STRUCTURE Filed July 25. 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A concrete component or block for a protective covering structure which is adapted to protect breakwaters, harbour or river walls and other marine constructions and beaches which are subjected to wave action, comprising a molded concrete mass including three integrally molded elongated pillar members having substantially the same dimensions and cross-section and disposed substantially in the same angular relation to one another each having the length to width or diameter ratio of substantially 4 to 1. A protective covering structure comprising a plurality of such concrete components interlocked with each other in a uniform or random manner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There have been proposed and practically used various types of concrete components or blocks and protective covering structures for the purpose of protection of breakwaters, harbour or river walls and other marine structures and beaches against the erosive action due to the kinetic energy of Water or waves.

One requirement of such concrete components or blocks is that they should be interlocked with each other so as to provide a protective covering structure having a great number of voids into which water or waves can penetrate and hence a large surface area over which the wave energy can be dissipated. A second requirement of such devices is that the components when located in position can be effectively prevented from moving under the forces of the waves. Otherwise, the protective structure comprising such components may be destroyed by the force of the waves which may he sometimes fairly great. For the purpose, the components are preferably so designed that the components can maintain their predetermined equilibrium in all positions which the components may assume when located in position. In addition, the components are desired to have the ability to interlock with each other and maintain the interlocked relation so that the components in a protective covering structure assure the stability of such covering structure when located in position. However, it has been found that such prior art concrete components or blocks are not fully satisfactory because they must be fabricated as having a specific configuration which requires a specific device for fabricating them and makes the fabrication of such components uneconomical.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an improved concrete component or block and an improved covering structure comprising a plurality of such components for the purpose of protection of breakwaters, harbour or river walls and other marine constructions against the action of Water or Waves.

3,516,255 Patented June 23, 1970 ice One object of the present invention is to provide an improved concrete component or block useful in the building of a protective covering structure for break- Waters, harbour or river walls and other marine constructions which are subjected or exposed to the action of water or waves.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved protective covering structure comprising a plurality of the above type of concrete components or blocks interconnected with each other so as to define a plurality of interstices or voids into which water or waves can penetrate and over which the kinetic energv of the Water or waves can be etfectively dissipated.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved concrete component or block which is useful in the building of a protective covering structure for breakwaters, harbour or river Walls and other marine constructions and which is light in weight and stable against the action of water or waves and can be economically manufactured.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved concrete component or block which is useful in the building of a protective covering structure for breakwaters, harbour or river walls and other marine constructions and which is easy in handling in the field where the component is to be positioned.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved protective covering structure for breakwaters, harbour or river Walls and other marine constructions adapted to protect such constructions against the action of water or waves and comprising a plurality of the above type of components intimately interconnected with each other in such a manner that the covering structure can effectively resist the kinetic energy of the water or waves thereby to protect the constructions against the erosive action of the Water and waves resulting in extension of the life of the constructions.

According to the present invention, the concrete component or block comprises a molded concrete mass having three integrally molded identical pillar members of any cross-sectional configuration, said pillar members being disposed in such an angular relation to one another that the component may remain in equilibrium in whatever position the component comes to rest when placed in position with the axis of each pillar member intersecting the axes of the other pillar members at the same angle.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a concrete component or block for building a protective covering structure for marine constructions subjected to the action of water or waves, said component comprising a molded concrete mass having three integral elongated pillar members of any cross-section having substantially the same dimensions and profile and disposed in such an angular relation to each other that each pillar member extends transversely of the other pillar member with the longitudinal axis of each pillar member intersecting the axes of the other pillar members at the same angle in a position nearer to one end than to the other end of each of the other pillar members and the opposite ends of each pillar member extend beyond the width of each of the other pillar members by substantially the same distance whereby said component may remain in equilibrium in whatever position the same comes to rest when placed in position.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a protective covering structure for marine constructions subjected to the action of Water or waves, said covering structure comprising a plurality of identical concrete components or blocks interlocked with each other so as to provide a plurality of interstices into which water or waves can penetrate and over which the kinetic energy of said water or waves can be dissipated, each of said concrete components comprising a molded concrete mass having three integral elongated pillar members of any cross-section having substantially the same dimensions and profile and disposed in such an angular relation to each other that each pillar member extends transversely of the other pillar members with the longitudinal axis of each pillar member intersecting the longitudinal axes of the other pillar members at the same angle in a position nearer to one end than to the other end of each of the pillar members and the opposite ends of each pillar member extend beyond the width of each of the other pillar members by substantially the same distance whereby said components may remain in equilibrium in whatever position they come to rest when placed in position.

The above and other objects and attendant advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The accompanying drawings illustrate several embodiments of the present invention in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one of the components of a protective covering structure for breakwaters, marine or river walls and other marine constructions, in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of said component of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective View of a covering for breakwaters, marine or river walls and other marine constructions, which comprises a plurality of components identical with that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 showing one way of arrangement of such components by which the components are interlocked into such a protective covering structure;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a modified protective covering structure which comprises a plurality of components identical with that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 showing another way of arrangement of such components by which the components are interlocked into such a protective covering structure;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a further modified protective covering structure which comprises a plurality of modified components showing a third way of arrangement of such components by which the components are interlocked into such a protective covering structure; and

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of a modified form of component in accordance with the present invention.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION Referring to the various figures of the accompanying drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 in which one form of waterbreak covering structure component according to the present invention is shown for illustration purpose only, but not shown with reference numeral 1 and the component has been conventionally formed by pouring concrete or mortar materials into a suitable mold having the cavity corresponding to the configuration of the component to be formed. The component 1 comprises three substantially identical integral elongated pillar members 2, 3 and 4 each having a square cross-section. The three pillar members 2, 3 and 4 have substantially the same dimensions in which the ratio of the length to the width is about 4 to 1 and the pillar members are integrally interconnected to one another in such an angular relation that the longitudinal axis of each pillar member is related to the longitudinal axes of the other two pillar members substantially at right angles. In addition to the selection of the ratio of the length to the width as being substantially 4 to 1 in each pillar member and the disposition of the longitudinal axis of each pillar member at right angles with respect to the longitudinal axes of the two other members, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention the three pillar members are disposed in such a relation that the lateral projections of the longitudinal axis of each pillar member perpendicularly intersects the longitudinal axis of each of the other pillar members at a point nearer to one end than to the other end of each of the other pillar members and the ratio of the distance from the intersecting point to the first or nearer end to that from the intersecting point to the second or remote end may be substantially 1.5 to 2.5. Furthermore, in illustrated embodiment to opposite ends of each pillar member extend transversely of the other two pillar members and project beyond the width of the other members by a distance corresponding to substantially one quarter of the length of each member. In addition, in the illustrated component 1, the respective pillar members 2, 3 and 4 have the fiat end faces which join the similarly fiat side faces at substantially right angles. In the covering component comprising the three identical pillar members having the dimensional relation, design and disposition as mentioned above, when the component is laid on a plane 14 of a harbour, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, one longitudinal ridge 9 of the pillar member 4, one lower end edge or ridge 13 of the pillar member 3 are positioned in the same plane 14 in which the adjacent side faces of the pillar member 4 forming a dihedral angle having the ridge 9 as the apex, the adjacent end face and side face of the pillar member 2 forming a dihedral angle having the end edge 12 as the apex and the adjacent end face and side face of the pillar member 3 forming a dihedral angle having the end edge 13 as the apex are disposed at the same angle with respect to the plane 14. Since the three pillar members 2, 3 and 4 have substantially the same length to width ratio and dimensions and are disposed in the same angular relation to each other as described hereinabove, the component 1 can remain in equilibrium in whatever position the same comes in the plane 14. For example, when the pillar member 2 is disposed in the position which the pillar member 4 now assumes in FIG. 1 so as to position one longitudinal ridge of the pillar member 2 in a substantially flush contact with the plane 14, the pillar member 3 will assume the position which the pillar member 2 now assumes in FIG. 1 and the pillar member 4 will assume the position which the pillar member 3 now assumes in FIG. 1. Similarly, when the pillar member 3 is disposed in the position which the pillar member 4 now assumes in FIG. 1 so as to position one longituduinal ridge of the pillar member 3 in a substantially flush contact with the plane 14, the pillar member 2 will assume the position which the pillar mem her 3 now assumes in FIG. 1 and the pillar member 4 will assume the position which the pillar member 2 now assumes in FIG. 1. Thus, it will be understood that even when the dispositions of the three pillar members 2, 3 and 4 with respect to the same plane 14 are replaced between them in any way, the disposition of the entire component 1 with respect to the plane 14 will remain unchanged. When the component 1 is laid in the plane 14 with one longitudinal ridge of either one of the three pillar members parallel to or in a substantially flush contact with the center of gravity of the component is positioned at a point corresponding to substantially one third in the height of the component as measured from the base or the one longitudinal ridge of any particular pillar member which lies parallel to the plane 14 whereby the component may provide a stable structure and a marine or construction protecting covering structure comprising a plurality of such components 1 can be located in a stabilized condition in a breakwater, jetty, revetted slope and the like.

When the above-mentioned marine construction protecting covering structure in a waterbreak, jetty, revetted slope, sea or river bank, and the like for protecting the facilities against the kinetic energy of water or Waves, a length of wire rope (not shown) is passed through the component 1 and the wire rope is caught by a hook (not shown) which is attached to the leading end of a wirerope or the like of a hauling machine (not shown) extending from a conventional crane (not shown) which when operated lifts the wire rope and hook arrangement and carries the component 1 to a desired position in a waterbreak or the like construction which is to be protected from the action of water or Waves. When a desired number of such components 1 have been carried to the desired position by the crane or like machine, workers arrange or interlock the component 1 into a covering structure in any suitable manner. One manner by which the components 1 are interlocked with each other to provide a covering structure is illustrated in FIG. 3.

Referring to FIG. 3, a plurality of the components 1 each having the design and arrangement of the three pillar members 2, 3 and 4 as mentioned above are interlocked with each other in a horizontal assembly line with one longitudinal ridges 9 of the pillar members 4 of the components 1 laid in substantially flush contact with the plane 14 of a waterbreak, for example, 15 pro viding interstices 18 between adjacent components 1 and the pillar members 2 and 3 of the components 1 disposed at. an angle with respect to the plane of the waterbreak 15 whereby a waterbreak covering structure is formed with interstices 18.

The protective covering structure of FIG. 3 is shown as comprising a plurality of components 1 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 interlocked with each other in a horizontal direction, but in a zigzag manner as seen from above. However, it should be understood that these components 1 can be interlocked with each other so as to form a horizontal and straight line covering structure or any desired configuration structure depending upon the profile of a marine to be protected by such a covering structure. In any formation of the covering structure the components 1 can be interlocked with each other in such a mutual relation they may provide a great number of interstices 18 into which water or waves can penetrate and over which the kinetic energy of the water or waves can be dissipated While allowing the components to maintain their interlocking relation whereby the individual components 1 and accordingly, the thus formed covering structure, can be effectively prevented from being displaced by a significant degree even when the structure is subjected to the forces of water or waves.

In addition, since one of the pillar members 4 of the components 1, for example, are disposed substantially flush with the plane of the waterbreak 15 where the components are placed and the center of gravity of each of the components 1 is positioned in a point corresponding to one third of the height of the component as measured from the base or the longitudinal ridge 9 of the pillar member 4 and furthermore, the end edges 12' and 13 of the pillar members 12 and 13, are also disposed substantially flush with the plane, the positions of the components can in the waterbreak plane be further stabilized whereby the components can be prevented from rolling and/or tumbling when subjected to the forces of water.

Furthermore, in practice, the horizontally disposed pillar members 4 and the lower ends of the angularly disposed pillar members 2 and 3 are partially embedded into the ground of the waterbreak plane 15 and accordingly, the covering structure comprising the thus disposed components 1 can effectively resist the kinetic energy of waves as a unitary mass and thus provide a rigid and stable covering for such a marine construction.

FIG. 4 illustrates a second manner for building of a protective covering structure for a waterbreak or the like marine construction comprising the above-mentioned components 1 in accordance with the present invention. The

covering structure shown in FIG. 4 is adapted to be suitably employed on a sloped or rather uneven plane of a waterbreak or the like construction. As seen from this figure, the components 1 in this covering structure are arranged or interlocked in a rather random manner in contrast with those in the covering structure shown in FIG. 3. In the covering structure of FIG. 4 the successive components 1 are arranged in a side-by-side relation to one another with rather wider interstices 18 between the adjacent ones and longitudinal ridges 9 of the laterally disposed pillar members 4 and one lower end edges or ridges 12 and 13 of the angularly disposed pillar mem bers 2. and 3 are in contact with the sloped or stepped plane 16 at different manners and angles in conformity with the profile of the surface 16. In this embodiment, some of the laterally disposed pillar members 4 ar in substantially flush contact with the respectively associated sections of the surface 16 while the other laterally disposed members 4 are in partially and at different contact with the respectively associated sections of the sloped or stepped surface 16 so as to conform with the profile of the associated surface sections of the waterbreak. Similarly, some of one lower end ridges 12 and 13 of the pillar members 2 and 3 are also substantially fiush with the respective associated sections of the surface 16 of the waterbreak while the other contact in different manners or at different angles with the respectively associated sections in conformity with the profile of the waterbreak sections. When the components 1 are arranged in the manner as described in connection with and illustrated in FIG. 4, they will provide a stable and reliable waterbreak surface covering structure in which the portions of the components which contact the surface sections of the sea wall or river bank 16 and especially the pillar members 4 are entirely or partially embedded into the ground of the surface sections and can effectively protect the seawall or river bank against the erosion by the water.

As in the arrangement of the covering structure shown in FIG. 3, the components 1 arranged and interlocked as shown in FIG. 4 can be stabilized in position when located in the sloped or stepped seawall or river bank surface 16 because even if surface sections of the sea wall are broken or eroded by waves and especially by backwashes the portions of the components 1 and especially the pillar members 4 which have larger areas for contacting the surface of the seawall than the other pillar members 2 and 3 in the illustrated embodiment will sink and be embedded into the ground under the sea wall surface in proportion to the breakage or erosion degree of the sea wall surface 16 for compensating for such breakage or erosion where by the sea wall can be effectively prevented from collapse and/or crumbling.

FIG. 5 illustrates a somewhat different or third manner by which modified components 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are interlocked with each other to provide a seawall or river bank surface covering structure having a particular arrangement. Different from the foregoing embodiments of FIGS. 3 and 4, the embodiment of FIG. 5 is characterized by that one corner edges of the lower ends of the three pillar members of each component 1' lie in the same plane or contact the surface of the seawall or river bank 17 in the same manner and at the same angle with respect to the seawall surface. In other words, the three pillar members 2', 3' and 4' of each component 1' are disposed in the same angular relation with respect to the seawall surface 17.

Each of the components 1 of FIG. 5 comprises three elongated square cross-section pillar members 2', 3 and 4' which have the same dimensions, profile and length to width ratio as those of the pillar members 2, 3 and 4 of the foregoing components 1, but the mutual angular relation of these pillar members 2', 3 and 4' are different from that of the pillar members 2, 3 and 4. The pillar members 2, 3' and 4 of the modified components 1 are integrally connected with each other in such an angular relation that when the components 1' are placed in position on the sea wall or river bank surface 17 one corner edge of the lower ends of these pillar members contact the surface 17 at the same angle thereto whereby the components 1' may remain in equilibrium in whatever position when placed in position on the surface 17.

As seen in FIG. 5, the components 1' are interlocked with each other with each laid in a particular tripod form and one corner edge of the lower ends of the three pillar members 2', 3' and 4 in each component 1' is in contact with the surface of the sea bank 17 at the same angle with respect to the surface thereby to form a substantially horizontal covering structure having relatively large clearances or interstices 19 between the adjacent components 1 into which the waves can penetrate and over which the kinetic forces of the waves can be dissipated or destroyed whereby the covering can effectively protect the sea wall from the action of water. Furthermore, in the embodiment of FIG. 5, except for the components 1 at the opposite extreme end of the structure the components 1' are so interlocked with each other that the adjacent pillar members of adjacent components abut against with each other and therefore, the thus interlocked components can provide a rigid covering unit which is stable when placed in position in the seawall.

In the foregoing various embodiments description has been made of the instances in which the components 1 or 1 are interlocked with each other to provide a covering structure in a single layer. However, it should be understood that each of the above-mentioned three types of covering structure may be employed in any desired multi-layer formation. In such a multi-layer embodiment, the components 1 or 1 in adjacent upper and lower layers are interlocked with each other thereby to provide a rigid and stable multi-layer covering structure.

Although each of the components 1 or 1 employed in the covering structure of FIGS. 3 to 5 inclusive comprises three pillar members 2, 3 and 4 or 2', 3' and 4 has a substantially square cross-section and the length to width of 4 to 1, the present invention is in no way limited to the use of such a particular design, but each of the components may comprises three integral pillar members in the forms of various circular-sections, polygonal-sections, and any other cross-sections provided that the pillar members in each component ha ve the same length to width or diameter ratio as the pillar members shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 inclusive. Similarly, each component may comprises three integrally interconnected pillar members of any desired cross-section configuration having the outer peripheries provided with mortar paddings at suitable points thereon so as to increase the surface area over which water is dissipated. In addition, although the pillar members shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 inclusive are shown as having the end faces which are fiat and join to the adjacent side faces at right substantially right angles with respect to the latter, the pillar member ends may take any other shape such as a pointed, frusto-conical, domed or polygonal shape. All the above-mentioned alterations are also within the scope of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows a modified form of component by the present invention as one example of altered form and as seen in this figure, the component 1" comprises three integrally formed pillar members 2", 3" and 4" of hexagonal cross-section which have the same length to width or diameter ratio and are interconnected in substantially the same angular relation therebetween as those which exist between the pillar members 2, 3 and 4 of the component 1 of FIGS. 1 and 2. The modified components 1 can be also selectively interlocked with each other into any of the covering structures as shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 or any other form structure unit.

Although certain preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated herein, it is to be understood that these are illustrative in nature and not to necessarily limiting upon the scope of these teachings in their broader aspects. Many additional variations within the scope of the appended claims will occur to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. A concrete component for building a protective covering structure for marine constructions subjected to the action of water or waves, said component comprising a molded concrete mass having three integrally con nected elongated pillar members of similar cross section having substantially the same dimensions and profile and disposed in such an angular relation to each other that each pillar member extends transversely of the other pillar members with the lateral projection of the longitudinal axis of each pillar member intersecting the longitudinahaxes of the other pillar members at the same angle in a position nearer to one end than to the other end of each of the other pillar members and the opposite ends of each pillar member extend beyond the width of each of the other pillar members by substantially the same distance whereby said component may remain in equilibrium in whatever position the same comes to rest when placed in position.

2. A concrete component as set forth in claim 1, in which each of said three pillar members of the component has substantially the length to width ratio of 4 to 1 and said longitudinal axis of each pillar member is related to the axes of the other pillar members at right angles in the position in which the length of each of the other pillar members is divided into two sections having the length ratio of 1.5 to 2.5 whereby said component may remain in equilibrium in whatever position the same comes to rest.

3. A concrete component as set forth in claim 1, in which said pillar members each have end faces which intersect side faces at substantially right angles.

4. A concrete component as set forth in claim 1 in which said pillar members have a square cross-section configuration.

5. A concrete component as set forth in claim 1, in which said pillar members have a polygonal cross-section configuration.

6. A protective covering structure for marine constructions subjected to the action of water or waves, said covering structure comprising a plurality of identical concrete components interlocked with one another so as to provide a plurality of interstices intowhich water or waves can penetrate and over which the kinetic energy of said water or waves can be dissipated, each of said concrete components comprising a molded concrete mass having three integral elongated pillar members of similar cross section having substantially the same dimensions and profile and disposed in such an angular relation to each other that each pillar member extends transversely of the other pillar members with the lateral projection of the longitudinal axis of each pillar member intersecting the longitudinal axes of the other pillar members at the same angle in a position nearer to one end than to the other end of each of the other pillar members and the opposite ends of each pillar member extend beyond the width of each of the other pillar members by substantially the same distance whereby said components may remain in equilibrium in whatever position they come to rest when placed in position.

7. A protective covering structure for marine constructions as set forth in claim 7, wherein each of said three pillar members of each component has the length to width ratio of substantially 4 to 1 and said longitudinal axis of each pillar member is related to the axes of the other pillar members at right angles in the position in which the length of each of the other pillar members is divided into two sections having the length ratio of 1.5 to 2.5 whereby said components may remain in equilibrium in whatever position they come to rest.

8. A protective covering structure for marine constructions as set forth in claim 7 in which said pillar 9 members have end faces which intersect side faces at substantially right angles.

9. A protective covering structure for marine con-structions as set forth in claim 7, in which said pillar members have a square cross-section configuration.

10. A protective covering structure for marine constructions as set forth in claim 7 in which said pillar members have a polygonal cross-section configuration.

3,091,087 5/1963 Danel 61-37 X 1 0 3,252,287 5/1966 Suzuki 61-37 X 3,368,357 2/1968 Takamori 6137 3,380,253 4/1968 Vita 61-3 DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner C. KANNAN, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

